you mean it costs money to mail out checks to 300 million people?

wow. i thought they were doing it by magic flying unicorn free delivery

albo: you mean it costs money to mail out checks to 300 million people?

wow. i thought they were doing it by magic flying unicorn free delivery

i'm getting my tax return by direct deposit. i doubt they'll just attach it to that, because it would make way too much sense.

submitter: You know that letter you got from the IRS telling you about your $600 tax stimulus rebate? Those letters cost you $42 million

what letter? i didn't get anything like that. =[

f00f: what letter? i didn't get anything like that. =[

Neither did I, which is disconcerting since we're due $1500 according to the Treasury's site.

"Just send the letter...with the CHECK, asshole!"
/Lewis Black

we were supposed to get a letter?

TFA says the letters are going out THIS MONTH.

They are going to send you a letter telling you to expect a check.

Farking wonderful.

Yep, those who got no letter get no check. Sorry!

Couldn't they have just used those envelopes to send out the cheques now rather than wait until later in the year?

Seeing as they were so willing and ready to spend $42 million quickly...

You mean that letter I never received?

Think how much economic stimulus this creates - starting with the slumping printing and envelope stuffing sectors. Brilliant!

A mailing to 100 million taxpayers... sounds only a little on the high side. Think how much more than that Bank of America must spend. I got two "convenience checks" mailings, a line of credit offer, and an offer for a new card with one wrong letter in my name, all from BofA, just today.

Chicken feed, though, in the federal government spends. That's what... 84 minutes in Iraq by my calculator.

If only there were some electronic means of sending mail...

Seriously though, stop and think for a minute about the amount of resources and effort it takes to get these letters to the mail slot of 130,000,000 residences. And for what? A little chin-up to the American taxpayer? It's like some sort of sick joke. "Here you go, Joe and Jane Sixpack, $1500 bucks. Go buy a flatscreen TV. Don't think about what that $1500 will cost you. Don't think about how gas is getting more expensive by the day, or how the Chinese own us lock, stock, and barrel. Get yourself to Wallmart and get you and the little lady something nice."

Shameless waste to promote a political agenda. We are not getting the government we are paying for.

I'll use mine to by some more Euros and CNY.

Apik0r0s: I'll use mine to by some more Euros and CNY.

Better idea than mine, which was putting it in my IRA.

That'll show 'em.

I got my refund by Direct Deposit. Since the IRS already has that info on my return, they can just send the $600 by that way.

Or they can send a check. I'm not choosy.

The Post Office needs a little help too...

I got a letter and it told me everything I'd already learned on the news... what was the point?

Sooooooo, are they sending letters titled, "Dear Rich Bastard, under these formulas yadda yadda you can expect a check for $0" ?

What letter? I got this info from yahoo.com and cnn.com

ekdikeo4: They are going to send you a letter telling you to expect a check.

Government money is coming your way, citizen! It's as good as in the bank -- why don't you use one of your numerous credit cards to spend it right now -- you can always pay it back when the check comes. Buy some unimportant fripperies, perhaps your ancient circa-2006 electronic gadgets, a new sweater for your cat, anything, so long as it's something you really have no actual use for. Go spend the money right the fark now! Do it! Please, we beg you! A recession would make us look bad -- so go spend your money NOW to push back the recession until 2009 so the next batch of suckers can deal with it!

Only 42 million? Where the hell do they get stamps that cheap??

"Just send the letter...with the CHECK, asshole!"
/Lewis Black

Your common sense is causing me concern. Why are you spending your time on Fark?

The letters are coming this month, followed by a secondary letter stating how much you get, which is then followed by the money.

/Postal Employee

Aw man, this sucks.

I don't have 42 million dollars laying around.

Coolhaus: If only there were some electronic means of sending mail...

Shameless waste to promote a political agenda. We are not getting the government we are paying for.

Have we ever?

I already got an email from the IRS telling me they found like another $116 that I am due.

All I have to do is find it, log into the website and give them all my banking and personal information and they will put the money right into my bank account. That should be a lot more effective that snail mail?

Right?

Right?

Better get to filling out that information before they decide not to give me the money!

SpaceLord: Aw man, this sucks.

I don't have 42 million dollars laying around.

You should have thought of that before the IRS sent all those letters.

The government can not account for 50-100 billions dollars out of a 3 trillion dollar budget. The government over spends 200-300 billion every year because 3 trillion is not enough.

And many of you schmucks drink the politician's and media's kool aid that corporate America is corrupt.

Get a Rope.

It's the only way.

Unless we can figure out a way to nuke 'em from orbit.

Someone get the codes.

So what brilliant uses has everyone come up with for their checks?

Tossing it into savings sort of seems like a losing situation if the dollar devalues... right?

rat_brain_flies_plane: So what brilliant uses has everyone come up with for their checks?

Tossing it into savings sort of seems like a losing situation if the dollar devalues... right?

AAA sells a "TripPak" that consists of various denominations adding up to 60 Euro. The member price is $95. I thing half is going there as a hedge and a vacation fund otherwise.

rat_brain_flies_plane: Tossing it into savings sort of seems like a losing situation if the dollar devalues... right?

If you save it (and plan to spend it shortly) in its current dollar form, yes. Then again, constant inflation (like we are experiencing) has a similar effect. My advice? Convert it and deposit it (can usually be done online for relatively small amounts) in a foreign bank (BancSuisse, RBS, HSBC, ING, etc.) whose currency is relatively stable, until the dollar catches back up.

From there, invest some of it in a mutual fund (ING's moderate and growth funds are good deals atm) and wait for the magic to happen. Even in USD, now is a good time to buy mutual funds. I'd hold off on major stock buys right now, by and large. Their moment will come later this year, maybe early 2009.

If you've got brass balls that go clang when you walk, look into Japanese, and Indonesian markets. Caveat: keep a really close eye on your investments here, as the markets there are *extremely* volatile. The good side is that you can make out like a bandit. The bad side is that you could lose your ass in an Asian market panic. Never buy Asian stocks on the margin for this reason.

/This post brought to you by the color green and the letter $

My parents said if they get any money they're paying off dept with it. The same day they said that I read about people buying vacations on credit, intending to pay it back with this money. That was also before it was announced who would be recieving checks.

If I got any of that I'd be splitting it between the Obama campaign and moving to Canada.

Juansmith: "Just send the letter...with the CHECK, asshole!"
/Lewis Black

One of my favorite's from him.. When they announced the latest "tax refund" this immediately popped into my head....

when the government buys postage with our money doesnt it go right back to them? so why should they even have to pay to send anything?

maxpower007: when the government buys postage with our money doesnt it go right back to them? so why should they even have to pay to send anything?

When was the last time you saw a stamp on government mail? The money isn't going to postage, genius, it's going to cover the actual costs of the mailings themselves. Paper, ink, labor -- that kind of thing.

And hookers and blow, obviously.

margarito bandito
NeauxFear

Thanks you guys! I've been feeling for a while now that its about time to start thinking about the future and work on putting some money away, maybe even find a way to turn it into more money. The last thing I really want to do is run out and spend it... I almost feel like, if the dollar is going to lose some more value, I might as well get more bang for my buck now... :shrug: That just seems so hollow and impulsive though.

I've been thinking about converting it into a foreign currency... not sure thats the most patriotic thing to do.. but feh... This is a good chance to be more responsible financially.

I never thought about hoarding it away in Switzerland. Oooh that sounds fancy!

I'd love to learn more about the stock markets, but I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet... though soon... hmmm. I think it is a good idea to wait until the end of the year or a little longer.

Thanks!

$42 million for letters? Meh.

Wait til you see how much it will probably cost to deal with all the stolen checks and other fraud that will be happening once those payments start hitting people's mailboxes.

You think Katrina relief was a sham? You ain't seen nothin' yet.

My wife and I got our check today, but it was only for $600 eventhough we filed jointly and our combined income is less than $150k/yr. Never received any letter, but I don't plan on persuing any extra advance on next year's taxes.

jcacedit: Never received any letter, but I don't plan on persuing any extra advance on next year's taxes.

That's not what it is.